Donna J. Tucker, Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion, Virginia 2023

Donna J. Tucker, a 58-year-old former investment advisor from Roanoke, Virginia, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion charges in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke.

Tucker waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to a two-count Information charging her with one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion.

According to the indictment, Tucker forged the signature of one of her clients, an elderly couple who held a joint account, in order to obtain a line of credit through her firm’s banking arm in August 2010. The following year, Tucker caused a wire transfer of $295,000 to be transmitted from the victim’s account to her own account at a local credit union.

These funds were used to benefit Tucker and her family, and she took steps to ensure the victims did not learn of the unauthorized transfer by instructing others at her firm to place the victims in an all-electronic delivery system that would send the victim’s account statements by email.

Tucker also made false statements to the victims, other employees at the firm, and created false documents in order to carry out the scheme. In addition, Tucker reported to the Internal Revenue Service a taxable income of $125,333 in calendar year 2011, but admitted to knowingly failing to report additional taxable income of at least $340,000.

Tucker faces a maximum possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000 on the wire fraud charge and a maximum possible penalty of up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000 on the tax evasion charge.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and the Roanoke City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Bubar and Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew Bradylyons are prosecuting the case for the United States.

Tucker’s plea agreement holds her accountable for restitution to victims, including but not limited to up to $1 million.

“Ms. Tucker violated the trust of her clients and schemed to steal their hard-earned savings,” United States Attorney Timothy J. Heaphy said. “Our office will continue to use all the resources available to investigate fraud and pursue restitution for its victims.”

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